NEW DELHI (AP) – India will not allow the export of the Oxford University-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine for several months, said Sunday the head of the Serum Institute of India, who was hired to manufacture 1 billion doses of the vaccine for developing countries. . .
With wealthy nations reserving most of the vaccines to be made this year, the Serum Institute – the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer – is likely to make the majority of vaccines for developing countries. The export ban, however, means that the poorest nations will likely have to wait a few months before receiving their first vaccines.
The vaccine obtained emergency authorization by the Indian regulator on Sunday, but on condition that the Serum Institute does not export vaccines to ensure that vulnerable populations in India are protected, Adar Poonawalla, the company’s CEO, said in a telephone interview with the Associated Press.
He said the company was also prevented from selling the vaccine in the private market.
“We can only give (the vaccines) to the government of India at the moment,” said Poonawalla, adding that the decision was also taken to avoid hoarding.
As a result, he said, the export of vaccines to COVAX – the ambitious initiative created to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines created by the World Health Organization, the GAVI and CEPI vaccine alliance, a global coalition to fight epidemics – won ‘ Don’t start until March or April.
Poonawalla said the Serum Institute is currently in the process of signing a larger contract with COVAX for 300-400 million doses of the vaccine. This is in addition to two existing orders for 100 million doses each for the vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, and another from Novovax. He said the deal will be finalized in the coming weeks.
He said the first 100 million doses of the vaccine were being sold to the Indian government at a “special price” of 200 rupees ($ 2.74) per dose, after which prices would be higher. The vaccine will be sold on the private market for 1,000 rupees (US $ 13.68) per dose. He said the vaccines could be delivered to Indian states where they would be needed within seven to ten days after the company finalizes an agreement with the Indian government.
Poonawalla said his company was planning to give 200 to 300 million doses of the vaccine to COVAX by December 2021. He acknowledged that the company would have to balance the distribution of vaccines between India and COVAX.
“We cannot vaccinate everyone now. We can prioritize, ”he said.
The Serum Institute is also negotiating bilateral agreements with individual countries, including Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Morocco, said Poonawalla. “So that at least the most vulnerable in the states of our country or in other parts of other countries are served,” he said.
Poonawalla said that even if all the plans from different global vaccine manufacturers are successful, he still predicts a global shortage of coronavirus vaccines next year.
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The Associated Press Department of Health and Science receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.